- Today while we were walking into the store Joshua noticed my coat does not have a hood. He pulled his hood up and out, insisting that "mommy and Joshua share Joshua's hood" (melt my heart)
- It is really cold out today, like -6 plus windchill. When we got home from the store I noticed Joshua shiver. I asked him if he was cold. He responded, "No cold. Joshua freezing! Yucky outside!"
- Jamison spent the entire weekend either with or texting a girl... ugh!
- After lunch Joshua walked over to Riley (the dog) and invited him to lick the "left-overs" off his hands and FACE! I would have taken a picture but I was too shocked to grab my camera.
- "WEIRD!" has been an expression Joshua uses almost like a swear word. I think it is the funniest thing. Today Brenna put her backpack on the seat between herself and Joshua in our SUV. He much prefers it when his big sister sits by him. He asked her to slide over and when she refused he yelled, "No like backpack by me! WEIRD!"
- Despite my careful planning, Joshua has discovered toddler TV. D - D - D - D - D - DORA! is his favorite. (Jamison can not believe I am letting him watch a girlie show over and over.)
- The highlight of Brenna's day yesterday was watching a movie with me! She watched "Cats and Dogs" while I dozed cuddled up next to her. We both enjoyed!
- Sierra, while still totally delightful, is undoubtedly creeping up on her teen years. I observe her becoming more and more "moody" each day. If you have a fifth grade girl, be patient and understanding! It will get better... by eighth or ninth grade.
- Krissy is a ninth grader, that is about as much as I am allowed to share! Next year she will be roaming the halls of the very same high school that Chad and I attended. I hope her first boyfriend is as wonderful as mine is and was!
- Joshua is doing a super job sitting still and watching Jamion play basketball. Bleachers and a not overly coordinated three-year-old freak me out, so his rule is that he has to stay with in an arms reach of mom. That way I can be physically touching him at all times and do not have to take my eyes off the game to make sure he is safe. He is tolerating this really well. However, midway through one game he pulled my face over to look right in his eyes. Once he knew he had my attention he told me, "When we get home, mommy watchie Joshua p-lay basketball. Mommy sit down, watch you Joshua. Joshua turn!"
- Joshua and Brenna were singing "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" at the top of their lungs this morning. Joshua was thrilled, he thought only Dora knew that song.
- Krissy brought home a novel for me to read this weekend. It was titled "Afrika" It took place in South Africa during the post-apartheid truth hearings. So cool to share a love for Africa with her. I will be shocked if she does not live there (for a time) at some point. She asks me all the time when we will go back.
- Joshua hates to walk up and down the steps. He slides down, really quickly, on his butt. He yells for me to "help you Joshua uppie-stairs, Joshua too tired walk! mommy help you Joshua!" when he wants to come back up.
- Joshua no longer cares if I call him Gebeyehu. I often call him "Gubs" which was Jamison's nickname for him when we first came home.
I hope when you read this you can tell how much I totally enjoy EACH of my kids! I know I write about Joshua the most. It is so fun to have a little guy in the mix. Although I love my pre-teens and teen-agers, they do not always love me in return (at least not verbally!) It is really, really fun to have the mommy adoration and silly of a little guy in the midst of the eye rolls and temper tantrums of the older kids. (YES! Teen-agers have the WORST temper tantrums.) It is nice to have easy problems mixed in with the more complex ones of older kids. It is also really fun to have older kids laughing with me when Joshua says or does something funny. It is awesome to watch the older kids make good choices, manage their time well, and have deep meaningful conversations with us. While having kids all ages from toddler to teen is busy!!! It is also so fun. Each age and stage balances out the other!
I am blessed!
